A drug suspect has told operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency that he sold his piece of land for N2 million and invested the money into cocaine trafficking because he wanted to reap a staggering profit of N4 million.
The suspect, Chibude Chide, 44, said he regretted his action.
Chide, married with a kid, said: “I used to sell clothes and my business was flourishing in 2007. My problem started in 2008. I lost my three big shops. I see it as a spiritual attack because I lost everything I had laboured to acquire over the years. I sold the only property I have in Enugu with the hope of relocating to Lagos. Unfortunately, I listened to wrong advice and invested my last savings in cocaine business. They assured me that I could earn twice the amount I invested in the deal. But I’m regretting my action.”
When asked if he was aware that drug trafficking attracts capital punishment in China, Chide said that he never thought about it.
His words: “I never thought of it. My entire attention was on the N4m profits I would have made from my trip. I’m worried now about my wife and daughter.”
The suspect was arrested while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to China where drug trafficking is punishable by death.
The NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, Hamza Umar, said that the suspect ingested 1.185kg of whitish substances that tested positive for cocaine.
The Chairman of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, who described drug trafficking as criminal, also warned that those who seek wealth from criminality shall end up in prison custody.
Giade said: “NDLEA is combating drug trafficking with every resource at its disposal. Drug trafficking is criminal and the gains of a drug-free society is priceless. The lesson to be learnt from this case is that those who seek quick wealth from drug trafficking will end up in prison custody.”
The NDLEA boss added that the suspect’s case is particularly instructive because he invested N2 million into drug trafficking, which would have led to his untimely death if he was caught in China.